Directed by Kevin Macdonald, based on the book by Rosemary Sutcliff, The Eagle (2011) is one of the better Roman epics to have been released in recent years. The story concerns a Roman soldier in occupied Britain, accompanied by a slave, who ventures past Hadrian's Wall in 140 A.D. into enemy territory to find out what happened to the lost Ninth Legion, missing for twenty years… and the treasured golden Eagle, a symbol of Rome, that they brought with them to battle. Limited use of CGI and realistic battle scenes make for a gritty and well-spent two hours. The cast does a fine job, including Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland and Mark Strong.
